Mcculloch sp125/101b kart saw build thread

[Bigmac]

Is mc49 reed 86293 compatible with the 125? I see this on Ebay. Might get one while I still can.

Yes, that’s what I use

 

[Woodslasher]

Got this kart Mac close to up and running. I’m a little torn on the history of this tank…all of this yellow could really use a fresh yellow powdercoat, but the tanks had some cool 12-19-84 marks, kinda cool these were in service well after production


View attachment 366847View attachment 366848View attachment 366849View attachment 366850View attachment 366851

You'd be amazed how long old saws were used after they were no longer produced, I know of 655BP/P61's that were used for daily production falling until the owner retired a few years ago.

 

[Bigmac]

You'd be amazed how long old saws were used after they were no longer produced, I know of 655BP/P61's that were used for daily production falling until the owner retired a few years ago.

That’s true, I was more wondering it it was bought new in 84 or maybe a fresh short block.

 

[jacob j.]

You'd be amazed how long old saws were used after they were no longer produced, I know of 655BP/P61's that were used for daily production falling until the owner retired a few years ago.

There were guys still using 125s for production falling in Alaska as late as 1999/2000. Saw-King was still rebuilding them at the time for
those guys.

 

[Bigmac]

Messed up and forgot to install the high idle detent! Am going to have to steal the lower Av clamp air filter and the air filter stud off my sp125c to get this running! I need to dig out some hardware and other small bits that I am sure I have. I could use a couple lower Av clamps intake studs and air filters and some kart plug boots

 

[Bigmac]

Recently got a chrome rear shroud, it needs some tab repair, but is good enough for a saw build! That’s build is going to need a bunch of parts, time will be it’s friend

 

[Al Smith]

There were guys still using 125s for production falling in Alaska as late as 1999/2000. Saw-King was still rebuilding them at the time for
those gu

Since you mentioned it I had Rich on the phone looking for a recoil for a 105 Mac .He asked if we still used them and my reply was I was a restorer/collector .In Ohio it's so seldom to use a 100 plus cc saw is why they last forever .On that last Oct on the 5 foot diameter cottonwood the 084 had not been off the shelf for at least 10 years .Ran fine though .

 

[Bigmac]

 

[nbbt]

@Bigmac even the starter handle gets all torqued up, I like that.

 

[dik650]

I've got a whole box of the old man's worn out and broken clutches - I'll post a picture of it when I'm back home. There's probably 40-45 broken clutches in that box.

Dad ran a 60" or a 72" bar and chain on his falling saw (101B kartsaw) and a 42" or 50" bar and chain on his bucking saw (SP125) back in the day. He always had two
saws in the strip. He kept another powerhead or two in the pickup in case of a bad day in the brush.

Did he ever have a pitch pocket short out his points? I've heard stories about that happening to the sp125 back in it's hayday, although I'd assume that such could happen to other models as well. Just havent heard from enough oldtimers.

It's interesting that your father didn't run the long bar on his bucking saw. Ive heard that it was common for the bucking saw to wear a longer bar. Would the 72" sized bars need a kerf started with the small saw or were they generally stiff enough to keep a chain from throwing? I've heard that the "huck the saw up to position quicky, throttle up quickly & hope for a level kerf" technique was used with some success. The older bars that I've handled certainly feel more ridged compared to today's stuff, Cannon aside. I've heard a lot.

I enjoy the stories a lot. Almost get jealous! My dad & his family were a few hours away from all that big timber but nobody had the hankering for destruction, & all of the other cool stuff associated with the logging woods. My grandpa apparently did some work in the redwoods, but it was fleeting I guess. So, I have to settle for 1st gen faller with an absence of cool history...

Now for the topical question.
What do these pictures tell you?
I think I bought an mc101b. Not sure, though. & the unit is still in the mail.

 

[dik650]

You definitely read my mind!! Mine come with 28" hard nose bar and it is 0.58 gauge!. The chain is rusty a bit and it's still soaking in diesel, cutter has lots of life, marked 51, a OREGON chain. I see a 25 feet roll on ebay selling at gold price.

Scrap metal prices in comparison to 1/2" pitch square chisel. Those who have it, want dollars per link, I've heard over $10!

 

[dik650]

I was hoping Nathan would head up into the hills and start falling timber with it on GP property.

Bad idea

Oregonmugshots.com!

Indeed!
Believe it or not, I had the woods cops show up to my highschool out in  rural Eastern Oregon to charge me with the felling of pine snags on forest land. They wanted to see every tree & charge me around the same as a new ms440, PER TREE!! Dead as door nails but I guess the owls will all drop dead if they can't perch on the jagged top of a pine snag......
Anyhow, they didn't even make it to the foot of the mountain in their tahoe. I was a good 3-4 miles back where the big ones were They still managed to debt me over $800.

Had I not talked about my doings on a website that focuses on wood cutting & chainsaws, nobody would've snitched on me...

The locals had an All American firewood bash once the snow melted, as fallen timber was fair game..
I probably kept the place from burning down sooner than it did, as it burned like hell a few years after we moved. The Irish Spring fire..

 

[Bigmac]

Did he ever have a pitch pocket short out his points? I've heard stories about that happening to the sp125 back in it's hayday, although I'd assume that such could happen to other models as well. Just havent heard from enough oldtimers.

It's interesting that your father didn't run the long bar on his bucking saw. Ive heard that it was common for the bucking saw to wear a longer bar. Would the 72" sized bars need a kerf started with the small saw or were they generally stiff enough to keep a chain from throwing? I've heard that the "huck the saw up to position quicky, throttle up quickly & hope for a level kerf" technique was used with some success. The older bars that I've handled certainly feel more ridged compared to today's stuff, Cannon aside. I've heard a lot.

I enjoy the stories a lot. Almost get jealous! My dad & his family were a few hours away from all that big timber but nobody had the hankering for destruction, & all of the other cool stuff associated with the logging woods. My grandpa apparently did some work in the redwoods, but it was fleeting I guess. So, I have to settle for 1st gen faller with an absence of cool history...

Now for the topical question.
What do these pictures tell you?
I think I bought an mc101b. Not sure, though. & the unit is still in the mail.

Welcome to ope! That appears to be a 101aa, possibly a 101a the 101b had a recessed exhaust gasket. Not much difference between the blocks in all reality. Except the mc101

 

[sawfun]

Scrap metal prices in comparison to 1/2" pitch square chisel. Those who have it, want dollars per link, I've heard over $10!

New 1/2" chisel was about $6 five years ago, last year I was told it was going for $18. I have a partial roll of Stihl that im considering for a 101b, but is it worth too many $$$ ?

 

[dik650]

Welcome to ope! That appears to be a 101aa, possibly a 101a the 101b had a recessed exhaust gasket. Not much difference between the blocks in all reality. Except the mc101

Well thank you, Bigmac!
This thread prompted me to join. Lots of awesome info here. In the excitement of waiting on the engine to arrive, I started reading, the exhaust gasket caused suspicion. I don't actually know what the recessed unit looks like, though. That & the yellow cowling. The ad read that it's a 101b based on a NEW shortblock, whatever that means (again I dunno enough yet, but hopefully it means NOS ). Going to have to get the crank machined. 3,300 miles from here there's a waste basket that contains a complete cp125, possibly an sp125c that I'd like to use. I messed with it in highschool & thought it had a chrome bore, not sure though. Either way it's 1st string candidate.. I got it for free from a schoolmate's dad, so. I have a super 797 in another waste basket. The 795 I rebuilt a number of years ago made it out of it's waste basket. They make good storage units for torn down chainsaws, if you have an excess of them! Like you mentioned, the 101 engines are similar, so if it's solid, I'll be very happy.
I don't think they're getting any cheaper any time soon..

Here're some more pics. I assume some of you may be familiar with this unit given where It was purchased from..

New 1/2" chisel was about $6 five years ago, last year I was told it was going for $18. I have a partial roll of Stihl that im considering for a 101b, but is it worth too many $$$ ?

We've heard from the same people as $18 is familiar to me. Just crazy!! I bought up some partial reels of 1/2" chipper before it goes up any more.

 

[Al Smith]

I've got a 1/2" rim I had a bright idea of usng on one of the 125's using 1/2" semi but gave it up for a bad idea . I've got a short roll of 1/2" semi plus a couble of loops all new but it's not for sale .It was all bought before the prices went throuh the roof plus I have a couple of gear drives I seldom use . You can accumulate a lot of stuff over the years often by accident .
That 48" hardnose bar on the big Homelite in my avatar is a McCulloch mount with an .058 groove and I have enough 1/2" to chain it up but I doubt it would get much usage .

 

[Bigmac]

It looks like it has its tag, so you will know for sure.
This is a 101b block

 

[dik650]

I was gazing at the pictures & it appears that the yellow is a 2nd coat over what looks like red on the head cover as well as the flywheel shroud.
The interesting part is that the yellow appears to have been brushed on. Looking closely, I can see where the 101b sticker was painted around. There's a knick in the sticker with red underneath. Not sure about the red shroud. Frankenstein status probably. I'm excited.

 

[dik650]

Perfect shot that I couldn't find via Google. Now I know what the recessed exhaust gasket looks like.

It looks like it has its tag, so you will know for sure.
This is a 101b blockView attachment 372329

 

[Bigmac]

Well thank you, Bigmac!
This thread prompted me to join. Lots of awesome info here. In the excitement of waiting on the engine to arrive, I started reading, the exhaust gasket caused suspicion. I don't actually know what the recessed unit looks like, though. That & the yellow cowling. The ad read that it's a 101b based on a NEW shortblock, whatever that means (again I dunno enough yet, but hopefully it means NOS ). Going to have to get the crank machined. 3,300 miles from here there's a waste basket that contains a complete cp125, possibly an sp125c that I'd like to use. I messed with it in highschool & thought it had a chrome bore, not sure though. Either way it's 1st string candidate.. I got it for free from a schoolmate's dad, so. I have a super 797 in another waste basket. The 795 I rebuilt a number of years ago made it out of it's waste basket. They make good storage units for torn down chainsaws, if you have an excess of them! Like you mentioned, the 101 engines are similar, so if it's solid, I'll be very happy.
I don't think they're getting any cheaper any time soon..

Here're some more pics. I assume some of you may be familiar with this unit given where It was purchased from.. View attachment 372275View attachment 372276View attachment 372277View attachment 372281


We've heard from the same people as $18 is familiar to me. Just crazy!! I bought up some partial reels of 1/2" chipper before it goes up any more.

I was gazing at the pictures & it appears that the yellow is a 2nd coat over what looks like red on the head cover as well as the flywheel shroud.
The interesting part is that the yellow appears to have been brushed on. Looking closely, I can see where the 101b sticker was painted around. There's a knick in the sticker with red underneath. Not sure about the red shroud. Frankenstein status probably. I'm excited.View attachment 372327View attachment 372330

Good catch, haven’t seen a red factory fan shroud, so the 101b had a metallic red rear cover and the 101mc had a straight red with white fan shroud. The crank looks like the 3/4 101mc crank